Through the Looking Glass - A Malec AU
by KrakenIsios
Summary: Based off of the S1E10 "The World Inverted" alternate timeline, follow Malec as fate allows them to run into each other again. Does true love exist no matter the universe? Does the love between a subdued warlock and a confident mortal work when the stakes are at their lowest? Focus is primarily on Malec but will contain other pairings. Rating is in expectation of later development.
1. Chapter 1

_So, I was desperate for more Malec after the series finale and ran through most of the fanfiction I could find. After twiddling my thumbs bemoaning the lack of more I decided to write my first ff. This is based off of S1E10 "The World Inverted" AU._

_*There may be a universe where I own anything tied to The Mortal Instruments or Shadowhunters but it is not this one._

_This will start out a bit tame and hopefully build into nsfw guilty pleasure time and is rated with that in mind. This chapter especially will be mostly character setting and stuff._

_Hmm, yeah. Don't know what else to say. Hi, welcome, enjoy, hopefully, yeah, cool, here we go…_

*****Alec*****

Alec sighed and looked around, taking a beat to acknowledge his emotional state and even it out. He knew he had been a bit intense recently and he knew his energy could get a bit direct. But he couldn't help wanting the people that mattered to him to like what he had worked so hard on. This was the biggest event he had ever coordinated and the challenge had excited him. While he liked a challenge that didn't necessarily mean he was a miracle worker. Well, not all miracles. This party? That was a pretty easy one to perform.

The round of checks he had done right before the first guests arrived had been spotless and people seemed to be enjoying the atmosphere he had created. His boss and his sister had already made it a point to express their delight. He could see his little group of friends, all sporting smiles. Jace, who had been his neighbor growing up, his first crush, and his greatest confident outside of his sister was happily dancing with his girlfriend, Clary, who happened to be the daughter of the host of this party. Simon, his sister's boyfriend and Clary's best friend, was preparing his band to start up their first set that would alternate with the DJ. He was thrilled the people who mattered most to him were finding their places in life just like how he had found his even if it did make the relationship web a bit difficult to explain.

When his sister had asked him if he'd be game to take on the job he had hesitated. How do you make a tea party into a semi-formal, upscale event? How do you make a clean theme from drugged scenes? How do you mix cartoons and groundbreaking technology? How do you keep your sanity answering to someone who considers himself mad AND your sister who thinks that man can do no wrong?

Honestly, taking the vague, insane world Valentine saw as his life's inspiration and turning it into the cohesive, modern but whimsical party everyone wanted to be at took skill. It took talent. It took inspiration and flair. It took Alec.

He had spent years in indecision, not sure what he wanted to actually **do** with his life. So he had put a lot of effort into figuring himself out while getting first his Bachelors then his Masters in Business Administration. His graduation had coincided with his father's big revelation that he had been cheating, for years, and that his mother had known but had let it go for the sake of the business and peace within the family. His dad had been free to do whatever he wanted as he traveled, acquiring pieces and clients and lovers and his mom had held down the fort at home, making sure the auction house ran smoothly and her children didn't have to choose between their parents. Although he wasn't sure what the catalyst had been they were finally ready for a divorce. It had been like the rod keeping her so stiff had snapped. She had softened and suddenly seemed to have noticed he was an adult.

Once he had found out he couldn't just sit around. The upheaval had meant there were obvious, concrete things he could help with. His mother had been so openly vulnerable that he had taken on what he could to allow her to step back from the public side of the business for a bit. And wouldn't you know it, organizing events was a big part of hosting auctions and auctions attracted rich people and rich people needed events organized. Alec had eventually had open, candid conversations with his mother as he had discovered what he had begun to take pride in and she had been nothing but supportive and encouraging when he had been able to land his first solo event.

That had been three years ago. It had stalled somewhat when he had let himself get pulled back in full time while his little brother, Max who had been away at boarding school, was hospitalized. With a full recovery his mother had made the decision that Max should come home to stay. Which meant she still needed support so she could be the mother the teen needed. Now, at 28, he had struck a balance that gave him the freedom to slowly build up his event coordination business while still letting him support his family. He wouldn't have felt complete letting either go and was fortunate his family felt the same.

It was reassuring to have support here tonight. Not that Alec doubted himself. Never. This was his life. Even if he hadn't been related to Izzy he would have been the right choice for the gig. No. Alec didn't doubt his skills or taste. He doubted if the stress was worth it. The release of The Institute's newest tech had been moved up to get ahead of the competition which meant the party also had to be moved up and very few people in town were free, willing to commit to such a short timeline, and capable of delivering on that timeline. Alec knew it would mean days of a stress roller-coaster, juggling it with the rest of his work. His self-care time would plummet.

But, business sense prevailed. If there were three things he had learned about tech moguls it was that 1) they were willing to spend money 2) they were willing to be hands off on things they didn't feel expert in, allowing them to more fully focus on their ideas, as long as you delivered and 3) they knew other tech moguls who also may one day be in need of help planning an event.

And damn if he didn't enjoy getting to see a mountain of work come off like an effortless bit of magic. Praise, he liked. Praise while looking like he just snapped his fingers and made art appear, he loved that.

His last gig had been a vow renewal for a couple obviously in the middle of a crisis and desperately clutching at any way to rekindle the chemistry and save things. The theme had been "Eternal Love." It really takes talent to make that anything but a disgustingly sappy muddle of red and hearts. And, of course, they had a gay nephew he just had to meet. Forget that the guy was 5'6", according to him, (Alec swore the man's shoes were very helpful in reaching that height) versus Alec's six and change. Forget that he **liked** being an actuary and wore khakis from Old Navy to the ceremony. Luckily, it seemed the disinterest was mutual.

Izzy had sworn not to try to set him up with anyone for the party, not because she had given up on that quest but because she took him seriously when he had said he wanted to be able to focus. She understood wanting to take your work seriously even if she didn't understand that just because she loved Simon and had all that nerdy Doctor Star Ring stuff in common with him that Alec wouldn't be equally attracted to one of his friends.

Jace, wasn't much better. The last guy he had tried setting him up with had been ace. Of course, Jace hadn't known that, he just knew the guy wasn't into Izzy or Clary and had extrapolated. Jace was well-intentioned, wanting his friend to be happily in love like he was, but he could be a bit oblivious. That had been a fun lesson, explaining to the very heterosexual very monogamous very in puppy dog love Jace what asexual was and why Alec, with his flings and lack of time to invest in a person, was likely not what the man had been looking for.

He wasn't looking for a forever love, although he left that part out when he explained why a flirtation fell through to friends and family. A for now lust, on the other hand, that he was very much open to and as he casually strolled around the party, checking in on appetizers and personnel, he spied a lovely option trying to talk his way past the guest list check.

Normally he would be displeased with such a disruption and would begin to overthink the implications of not handling the situation appropriately. Not in this instance, the man screamed damsel in distress. He was adorable, all flustered and worried and he didn't match the image of anyone on the watch out list of competitors and disgruntled ex-employees Alec had quickly run down in his mind. So, if the poor guy was going to be tongue-tied it may as well be in the middle of a passionate kiss with him rather than failing to talk his way into a party he clearly didn't belong at. He may still be working but that didn't mean groundwork couldn't be laid. And it would allow him to assess the risk the man definitely didn't pose. Who didn't like two birds? With one final look around the room Alec nodded to himself, pasted on his most friendly seductive smile, and approached.

"It's alright," he said trying to make eye contact with the newcomer. "I'll be responsible for this one." The man seemed to notice him just long enough to see his chance and take it before looking away deeper into the party, which gave Alec pause, but only momentarily. He was never wrong in identifying a sympathetic individual even if said individual hadn't fallen at his feet in gratitude for saving him. He'd make the man comfortable and then things would take off.

"Come on," he continued, leading the way into the party stopping to pick up two tea cups filled with something much stronger than tea and handing one to the man. Still distracted. Maybe he just needs more overt handling.

The crasher really wasn't his normal type, that must be what was throwing off what was normally instant chemistry between Alec and anyone he put active effort into. Sure, he was attractive in a subdued, pretty way and his skin was a smooth caramel he hoped tasted as sweet. The man was just so buttoned up. Literally. Alec's fingers itched to free that neck just a little. Maybe he'd get lucky and the act would build on the blush that had developed for just a moment as Alec had flirted, giving him a reason to keep unbuttoning to see how far down the blush went.

_Enough fantasizing, time for focused flirting._

"To us," he said, clinking his cup against the man's, using the action as a cover as he moved a bit further into his personal space. There it was. He hadn't misread. The man was distracted but he wasn't unaware. Alec was tuned to picking up the signals and that up and down, no matter how brief, had been encouraging even if it was cut short by whatever was so distractingly urgent to the man.

"Thanks but, I gotta go," said the man already angling for a getaway, body language dismissive and closed to advancement.

"Playing hard to get. I love a challenge," he murmured after the escaping man, shrugging and smiling softly into his cup. Well, no point in seeming needy, he'd alert the staff to keep an eye on the man to make sure he wasn't the best actor alive planning some sort of solo heist as he made his next round of checks. Alec would just have to put a mental pin in this to revisit when he could devote more of his attention. He'd need a lighter touch for what was likely an endurance test. He could find an easier race to sprint until then.


	2. Chapter 2

_Welcome back! Here's to hoping you enjoy chapter 2! I wanted to get the second chapter out quickly. From here on out the frequency will be at least once a week until the conclusion._

*****One week later - Alec*****

Alec had been distracted after the party, getting a promising appointment with a potential new client. His parents had always told their children that deeds well done would do the work for them and his most recent success had been better than any advertisement he could pay for.

Not that he was knocking advertisements. Without them he wouldn't be standing outside a pair of black double doors that would open into one of two penthouse units on the top floor of a nice condo building in Brooklyn rehearsing his casually forward, non-threateningly relaxed approach for round two. Clary's parents had shown her an ad they had found particularly amusing which Clary had then shared with her best friend, Simon, who shared it with Izzy, his girlfriend, who had found it necessary to share it with her older brother expecting him to find it absurd.

Well, he had found it absurd but less because it was low budget and cheesy and more because he **had **been considering the best way to ask Izzy if the Institute had any technology on hand that could match a blurry security video still with a real person and also if she could get a still of the man from the security video from during the event and instead fate had made the next step absurdly easy.

Magnus. Magnus Bane. That name didn't sound like sweaters and sub-par sex in the dark. It sounded like party crashing and fun and, well, hoaky psychic readings apparently. Which is how he had ended up outside the man's place of business, that also seemed to be his home, with the last appointment of the day. He had passed the previous client getting off of the elevator so all he had to do was knock.

Just lift his hand, rap on the wood, get off his opening line. Easy. It wasn't technically an invasion of privacy, he had an appointment. Just knuckles to door and say, "Can I hope you saw this coming?" One hand casually in his pocket, the other, still raised from knocking, would allow him to lean into the door as it opened. He looked good leaning, standing too, sitting wasn't a bad angle, lying down was his favorite, but yeah, leaning fed into the casual sexual energy he was planning to utilize.

_Enough stalling._

Alec raised his hand, let his posture relax, and started as he realized the door was already opening and the man with the name that screamed adventure was standing there, mouth slightly open. Magnus was dressed in the most mundane business casual wear topped with a loose fitting, white, cable knit sweater. He looked like a sexy marshmallow, or cloud, or something else cute and hug-able.

He stared for one second, or just a few, he wasn't quite sure. But he definitely snapped out of it first. Thankfully. He could rally, work with this. He strode forward into the room, lightly patting Magnus on the shoulder as he passed him.

_Hm, not a marshmallow under that sweater. Nice._

"I don't believe we've been formally introduced," Alec said, executing a quick half turn ending with a playful bounce and clasping his hands behind his back. The man obviously wasn't prepared for him so his pre-planned line would come off more as a slight than playful at this point in the surprise. "I'm Alec Lightwood, your four o'clock."

*****Magnus*****

_Hm. Ah. This doesn't bode well._

Really, Magnus hadn't expected anything to come of the almost catastrophe that had been the other world Clarissa opening a portal and letting demons through to a world without Shadowhunters. Call him an optimist but with his recently restored powers he had done quite the acceptable cover-up. He had closed the portal for good. He had disposed of the creature. He had spelled this world's Clarissa and Jace into believing they had sneaked away from the party to have a little private fun that had accidentally dislodged something from a shelf and knocked them out. He had wiped the videos of his existence. He had portaled out of the party back to his loft and his cats. He had made the events completely insignificant.

He hadn't dwelt much when he had dreamed of an inquiring smile and eyes over tea cups that confidently told you of inevitabilities and fate. Magnus was familiar with that composed, sure feeling, even if it had been a very long time. He just couldn't recall the last time it had been aimed **at **him and not **by **him. If it had ever been. He had gotten over that phase, had matured. After a few centuries even wild oats became tame and the field needed to lie fallow.

But with that other world Clary jolting him out of the rut he had settled into he should have known more than just his magic would awaken. He hadn't been celibate but he hadn't had it in him to really connect with a person for over a hundred years. It was easy enough to avoid, he just had to remind himself that mortals died and immortals were impossible to live with. Easy to avoid, that was, if gorgeous men with narrative eyes would stop showing up in front of him. No, not men. Just this one. With his eyes that make promises in details so clear it's like Magnus had written the story himself and knew each word intimately.

At the party he had been justifiably distracted, not giving the man in front of him more than a passing glance. Attractive. Confident. Mortal. Now, with him standing in his doorway in perfectly fitting dark jeans and a black button down with one too many buttons undone for anyone's sanity Magnus couldn't help but stand there and really take the man in. Yes, Magnus would have to be blind to not notice the athletic build of the body under the clothes (and even then, his powers may still have found a way). And the eyes, well, they weren't as focused as they had been but they were honest and open.

What really did it for Magnus though, was the man's mouth. It wasn't even that it was eminently kissable, it was but that wasn't it. It was that small kick up at the sides that could express the world. It was a mouth that could own a soul and worship a body.

Magus would later attribute his slowness in stabilizing to the recent events that jump started his life. He was playing catch up after a century, he deserved some leeway. That's how he would justify how he stood there, in his doorway, mouth slightly open, daydreaming about lips and the things they could do to mind, body, and soul while the other man was able to casually stroll in without missing a beat. He had touched Magnus' shoulder and even through the multiple layers of material Magnus had felt the heat of the man's large palm.

"I don't believe we've been formally introduced," the man said, executing a quick half turn and clasping his hands behind his back with grace and an easiness Magnus did not feel in the moment. "I'm Alec Lightwood, your four o'clock."

_Snap out of it. Say something. Do something. He can't yet be thirty and you're likely older than the country his ancestors came from._

"Um, Magnus," was all he could get out as he quickly closed his mouth and the door. Behind the man. Who was now inside his place.

"Magnus Bane, a pleasure."

"I didn't say Bane."

"Sure you did, in your ad, which I saw. Do I sit here?" the man,

_Alec_,

said teasingly as he walked further into the loft and pointed at what was obviously Magnus' work table complete with tarot cards, crystal ball, and a few gems mixed with crystals that were definitely fake if anyone asked.

"You're my four o'clock?"

"I'm your four o'clock."

Good, okay. If the world was going to throw this at him at least it had had the decency of doing so in a way Magnus could handle. He could do his job, he had done his job five other times just today. The attractiveness and obvious motives of the client aside, he had a script he could follow and then he could add Alec's number to the list to be ignored or give him a recommendation for another psychic who would be less likely to lose their composure just because of those lips.

"Yes, just have a seat there then. Forgive my lapse in professionalism so far. When we met I didn't get the feeling that you were grappling with any sort of indecision so I was a bit baffled to see you engaging my services."

"I'll take that as a compliment. I do hear people often find confidence, attractive." His voice pitched lower on the last word causing Magnus to amend his previous thoughts. The best thing about this mouth wasn't the mouth itself, but the voice that could come out of it.

Magnus sat across from Alec, doing his best to seem otherworldly rather than distracted. He reached for his deck of cards, the easiest and least physical of his tools. The others required some amount of touching or convincingly intense eye contact and that just wasn't happening.

"Have you ever had your cards read?"

"No, but I was rather hoping you'd do my palm instead," Alec said, eyes less joking and more hooded with intent, mouth quirked knowing he was challenging Magnus to breach the physical barrier he was hoping to keep in place. He unbuttoned the cuff of his sleeve and rolled it up slowly, watching Magnus as he did so. Even though it was entirely unnecessary to have that much skin exposed when the hand alone would do Magnus found himself unwilling to halt the action.

Magnus should have said no, should have come up with some lie about accuracy and Mercury. But he wasted the window to do so because he was too busy trying not to memorize the muscles as they moved in Alec's now exposed forearm. So he had two choices. Belatedly turn the session towards something safer, all but admitting to the other man he was practically helpless against any real move or suck it up and hope it didn't get worse. And while Magnus Bane hadn't had much competition in the last long stretch of his life he had never liked to lose.

He took the large hand, it was warm and lightly calloused and not at all as dainty as it should have been on such an immaculately put together human, and turned it palm up.

_In for a penny…_

He lightly traced along some of the lines there with his nail and, finally, being so aware of the other man paid off because he felt the hand barely contract as if wanting to wrap around his. He heard Alec's breathe catch and felt a small thrill. So maybe he wasn't as out of practice as he had assumed, just a little rusty, still good enough to fight back. Which was good because he also wasn't as closed off to the idea of seduction as he had assumed but wasn't sold on this being the next person he should get tangled up with. Alec seemed a bit much which younger Magnus would have jumped on but now just seemed like a lot of risk and such short lived reward.

Even if he was very much his type. And offering, Magnus wouldn't even have to put in any effort. He took a centering breath, let out a hum from deep in his throat, and lifted his eyes to meet Alec's.

*****Alec*****

_Wow. Okay, wow._

So Alec had been prepared to go slow, lightly flirt, gently tease, and enjoy the process. He hadn't expected that once he had Magnus' full attention, once those dark chocolate eyes (flecked with gold, how had he missed that the first time?) had focused on him, he would feel a small twinge of uncertainty. He had pushed a bit, wanting the man to at least look at him and hoping he would touch him even if it was casually for business. He had not expected Magnus to push back and definitely not with skill that sent his imagination spiraling. If that is what his hand could feel like, being lightly held and caressed, then what could those hands do in a less restrained setting? And when Magnus had raised his eyes they had not been disengaged, they had been present, a decision had been made. Alec loved a challenge.

"Hm, well, you do have good hands."

"How so?"

"Well, take your life line. It's long, straight," Magnus chuckled at that, "and sure of itself. I feel that my initial assessment was right after-all and you don't really need my services." Magnus' eyes narrowed with sarcasm and false gravity.

"It's the only thing straight about me then," Alec smirked.

"You don't need a psychic to see that, Mr. Lightwood."

"Good. I was worried I was coming off a bit too subtle. And please, call me Alec, Magnus."

"No, rather loud and clear," Magnus replied ignoring the suggestion. "But I do wonder what your one true love would have to say about you making such practiced passes at every man you meet."

Alec was going to come back with a pithy compliment about hidden gems needing refined tools. But instead he found himself asking skeptically, "One true love?"

"Yes, well, that is what your love line says."

"My love line is fatalistically romantic?" Alec didn't like that. That wasn't sexy. That was, boring, mundane, and unnecessary.

"I would say hopelessly so."

For a moment Alec just stared at his palm. When he was younger he had always dreamed that maybe, one day, he would find his soulmate just like all the girls did in those romances Izzy watched and he pretended to despise. Just like those girls, he was going to find a dashing man to have a whirlwind romance and happily ever after with (it was clear from very early on he was gay). As he grew up some he added a hope for a partnership of respect like the one he thought his parents had. And when they divorced, his father having cheated extensively on his trips leaving his mother in pieces with three children and the auction house to manage by herself, he saw the weakness he was capable of, the hurt he could allow another person to cause him, and had promptly thrown away all plans to find the one, exchanging them for many ones right now.

"Mr. Lightwood?" Magnus asked, covering the palm with his other hand, breaking Alec's focus on the offending line. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, yeah of course. I was just thinking since I've shown you mine...," he let his words trail, punctuated with a wink.

_Deflect. _

He needed to turn this back around. He already knew himself well enough, he didn't need to know what lines caused by years of pencil holding meant.

"You're not paying to have me read my own hand."

"Is that an option?"

"Why would you possibly want it to be?"

"You know why," Alec replied, and feeling a bit vulnerable and needing to gain control of the encounter he turned Magnus' top hand over, laying it lightly on the table and traced down his fingers, unfurling them, to expose his palm fully. "What's yours say?"

"Which one?" Magnus quietly asked.

"Your love line." Alec pulled his hand back leaving his fingers resting just past Magnus', loathe to stop the foreplay but not wanting to give Magnus a reason to do so himself.

Magnus chuckled sadly at that, breaking eye contact. "Well, you can see I have multiple branches from it, and multiple breaks," he explained, indicating with his free hand as he explained. "Each one a heartbreak full of fond memories." He tried curling his hand back up but Alec stretched out his fingertips and held Magnus' in place, faintly touching pads.

"And that one?"

"Hm?" Magnus seemed distracted.

_Good_.

"This one," Alec said, softly following Magnus' fingers down to where they joined his palm until he could point directly to a specific branch. Magnus' fingers subconsciously curled with the contact brushing the underside of his palm in return.

_Progress._

"The last branch. It's deeper than the others. Does that mean something special?" Alec had to admit, he had never paid so much attention to a hand before.

"No. Not at all."

*****Magnus*****

"No. Not at all," Magnus lied and pulled back his hand. Sighing and closing his eyes he continued, "Mr. Lightwood, I would like to help you if I can but I fear you're just here to waste my time. Do you actually have a need or can we consider this session complete?"

He watched as Alec pulled his hands back so he could support his weight as he leaned forward on the table, playful smile putting that mouth to good use.

"I need,"

"You cannot have my number." Magnus was not actually psychic, he was pretty sure, but the man wasn't exactly trying to obscure his thoughts.

"Is it different than the one in the ad?"

"Yes."

"Your,"

"Nor my email."

"How about,"

"I don't have Facebook."

"Then,"

"I have no DMs to slip into."

"LinkedIn?"

"Stop."

"Fine. I guess I'll just have to wait until next week."

"What?!"

"Yeah," answered the infuriating man as he stood up. "I scheduled your 'Ten Sessions to a New You' package and, unfortunately per your fine print, you don't do refunds."

"I'll make an exception." Magnus was panicking. If he couldn't dissuade the man he was looking at the longest weeks of his life, including that time he got stranded on an island all alone in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle with his powers malfunctioning, warring with himself over whether to indulge with a mortal he felt unbalanced with or to shut him down to protect them both as Magnus did actually believe the bits he had said during the actual reading.

"I won't. A man's word and all. What sort of impression would that make if I took advantage of you. What would your other clients think of it? I run a business based on reputation, as do you. No, we'll muddle through well enough."

"Mr. Lightwood..."

"I'll see myself out," he said moving quickly to make his escape, stopping briefly to scratch Church on the head. And Church **let **him.

Magnus didn't move from his seat, just dropped his head into his hands as he heard his front door close. Alec had asked about that line and even though Magnus knew he hadn't know anything it had ruined his mood. He had almost considered enjoying the attention but, that line. Camille. The end of that line had wrecked him more than the death of any of his mortal lovers. She was immortal. He had **loved **her. They had no barrier to their love. Well, besides the fact that she had, apparently, never loved **him**.

That line was a lasting memory that he had had one shot at a deep, lasting love and wasted it. It had shaken him so much that he had sealed off his powers, had removed himself from the few immortal contacts he had, and had gone in pursuit of routine and the safety of a life where he didn't draw eyes.

Until he had been needed. It felt good to be needed.

_And to be wanted._

There had been more excitement packed into a day than he had had since Camille in total. And a single pair of eyes had found him, locked on to him like they knew the coordinates of his soul, and dared him to come out to play.

Maybe he had made a mistake, it could be fun. What was the real risk? Nothing could come anywhere close to being as deep, or as painful, as what he had already felt. Magnus knew he would be safe with the obvious man.

The only complications were his baggage and...that other love line. True love. It was normally a joyous sign to those he read but he got the feeling Alec had been less than thrilled with the prospect. On second thought, lips and all they promised aside, he had been right. Very little could mess with fate but immortals were always a bit of a gray area. He'd never wish the loss of love or the loss of the chance to love on anyone and wasn't that just the most convenient excuse ever.


	3. Chapter 3

*****The Next Next Week - Magnus*****

"Do you like your job, Magnus?"

"Most days. Some clients are worse than others."

"Hm, why do I feel like I should be offended?"

"Do you have another question for the cards?" Magnus had insisted on using the cards this time. Minimal touching, maximum script.

He was rather proud of himself. He managed to fill almost the full session with nonsense and very little awkwardness in spite of the increasing tension that formed between them every time they had to actually touch. Which, Alec seemed to have an annoying ability to capitalize on every opportunity to do so he got.

Compared to the onslaught Magnus was expecting, though, he had to say, his client had been well behaved. Never pushing past the far edge of his comfort zone, always accepting a dismissal or evasion, and at least he hadn't grown bored with the direct approach Alec seemed to favor when wooing a potential bed-mate.

He also had secretly enjoyed being asked what the cards' favorite position was even though he didn't actually answer. It beat being asked to commune with dead pets and predict weight loss.

"What's the card's favorite color?"

Magnus responded.

"How many people have the cards been with?"

Magnus...evaded.

"What is the favorite drink of the cards? What superpower would the cards choose? What pet peeves do the cards have?"

Magnus didn't want to examine why he was playing along at this point. He also didn't want to think too hard about why Church was currently sitting in Alec's lap letting himself be petted. The metaphor was, not to be considered.

"What is the favorite coffee of the cards? Their ideal date location?"

Magnus hadn't been on a first date in a long time, and if you didn't count Camille and him just deciding to take their existing friendship one step further, it had been...before the term had been invented in either case.

"What do the cards think is my best trait?"

Magnus flipped over a card, barely making a show of it. This was, tolerable, and if it hadn't been for the obvious motive he could see himself considering Alec an enjoyable conversation partner on the rare occasion he admitted he was a tad bit lonely. Although, he wasn't sure he was thrilled with what the cards were actually saying in response to that last question. Ever since his magic had reawakened he hadn't had to put much effort into his job, his tools had responded with zeal almost as if they wanted to convince him to not go away again.

_Maybe I just lie? But tell him what then?_ _It's not like the man needs a confidence boost._

"Is it that bad?"

Magnus made a show of examining the final card to stall as he made up a reasonable lie that didn't backfire on him.

"That good? Is it how attractive I am? How attentive I can be to the physical needs of others? Do you not believe it because I'm willing to give you a demonstration."

"I'd never sleep with a client. Too messy."

"I'd relish the opportunity to change your mind on messes. They can be so much fun to make, tasty even with the right ingredients."

Magnus really couldn't think of a lie that he could bs well and that Alec wouldn't be able to turn to his advantage. He could downplay thought.

"Best I can summarize, you'll blow up the very ground you stand on to make something right." Or he could just say it in the most over the top way possible with a dash of poetic flair. Stupid brain, showing off like that, betraying his resolve with the man.

Alec was silent. Odd. He'd expected some offhand remark about how that would make him a great friend with exceptional benefits or about how he must be an angel on earth to be so selfless. Instead, he was looking at the cards almost offended.

"Blow up? Which card, exactly, means 'blow up'?"

"Well. The cards can be a bit melodramatic. I'm sure they also think you're handsome or whatever you were babbling on about."

"Heh. Sure **they **do. That has nothing to do with the perception of the interpreter," he replied with a wink. But for the first time Magnus didn't feel that it came with the full force of Alec's charisma.

_Odd. I wonder..._

Oh no. Magnus was actually curious. That wouldn't do. He couldn't fight a war on two fronts, one against the quite attractive, very interested, eminently available man in front of him and the other against the part of him that very much wanted to respond irresponsibly to that man.

"Next question, do the cards think handsome is the best word for me or would they consider sinfully sexy more appropriate?"

*****The Fourth Session - Alec*****

Alec stood in the elevator, nervous energy swirling in his chest doing damage to all those health metrics his heart was responsible for. He couldn't stop his brain from going through plan A through plan Z, assessing and discarding options to make sure plan M was the one he wanted to go with. Plan M had the best chance of success with the most control for him, assuming he could get the subject of Plan M to agree to go along with Plan M in the first place. Plan M also made his stomach clench with nerves that were trying to escape through his tapping foot.

_This elevator is taking forever. It's purgatory. Which means I'm headed for hell. Wonderful. Perfect._

The elevator finally opened and Alec knocked at Magnus' door with two loud, quick movements before trying the handle and, finding it unlocked, let himself in. He barely acknowledged Magnus as he made his way not to the table they had previously sat at but to a black couch in the next section of the loft. He inelegantly plopped down and leaned forward, resting his face on his hands in an almost prayer like position.

"Hello to you too," Magnus greeted, pulling a quizzical face and turning to face him.

Alec exhaled in a resigned sigh.

_Not hell. Magnus is closer to heaven and the peace that comes with it. _

He already felt a bit better hearing Magnus speak, hearing in his voice the undeniable color of familiarity that was a hopeful sign and, under other circumstances, would have spurred on Alec's plan of pursuit. Not today.

"Sorry, it's just….been a day. A week really."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Magnus was gesturing to the table.

"More than anything, yeah. But I don't have time. I really only came to ask you a question and then I have to go back to work."

"Oh-kaaay," Magnus gestured at him and he knew he should just ask now that he had started.

"So here's the thing. I've been working on this event that's happening tonight. And everything was in place, I was doing a round of day of confirmations, you know, just a precaution. And, well, it's a theme event. And one of the acts bailed on me. Which wouldn't be an issue but this is the one thing the birthday girl said she wanted there so if I fail to deliver I've basically failed completely."

"What act?"

"A psychic. It's a bohemian mystical theme thing. I had a backup but the backup is also a midwife and is, apparently, in the midst of a delivery."

"And you can't find...another psychic? I'd think there's plenty desperate for a decent gig."

"That's not the issue. I can find another psychic. I can't vet another psychic. I can't run a background check and test them out for professionalism and see if they can do a good job bs-ing, sorry, **reading**. I can't do the due diligence to vouch for them this late. So I'm here, asking for a favor. A big favor, I know. So name your price."

"You, want me to recommend a party psychic for you?"

Alec mirthlessly chuckled. He knew Magnus knew that wasn't what he was asking but his hope was understandable.

"No, I want you to be the party psychic."

*****Magnus*****

There was something off with Alec. It was clear from head to foot. The man was, as always, not subtle. The third session had gone quite like the second. With getting to know your banter thinly disguised as a reading. He was starting to worry he would actually have to have a stern conversation with himself to remind himself why dating a mortal with a soulmate was a very bad idea. Not this week it would seem.

"Hello to you too," he said as the obviously tense man plopped on his sofa without flirting or a casual greeting touch or…

_Since when have I expected that? Why is that my new normal? And furthermore, why am I feeling a bit let down?!_

He'd examine that another time. His fri...client,

_Yep. Just a client._

needed him. That sigh hit him in the chest.

_Not the heart. The lungs. Because I'm a sympathetic sigh-er. Yeah._

"Sorry. It's just...been a day. A week really."

His poor Alec looked exhausted. Still attractive, but exhausted with under eye smudges covered up with some tinted something or other. And no! Not his Alec. His client, named Alec. Who he was not encouraging a deeper relationship with.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked gesturing to the table and away from his couch where he read books and lounged and drank tea and talked to friends, although not so much that last one since he got this particular couch.

"More than anything, yeah. But I don't have time. I really only came to ask you a question and then I have to go back to work."

"Oh-kaaay," he replied gesturing and almost hoping this was a new approach to flirting that was just a failure and not an actual issue. Stress made that mouth thin, made that voice tight. Made Magnus miss the low pitched innuendos delivered with a smile.

"So here's the thing. I've been working on this event that's happening tonight. And everything was in place, I was doing a round of day of confirmations, you know, just a precaution. And, well, it's a theme event. And one of the acts bailed on me. Which wouldn't be an issue but this is the one thing the birthday girl said she wanted there so if I fail to deliver I've basically failed completely."

"What act?" Again, Magnus didn't think he was actually prescient but the dread creeping up his neck told him he wouldn't like where this was going.

"A psychic. It's a bohemian mystical theme thing. I had a backup but the backup is also a midwife and is, apparently, in the midst of a delivery."

Magnus normally loved being right. He was finding he only hated it when Alec was involved.

"And you can't find...another psychic? I'd think there's plenty desperate for a decent gig," he hoped out loud.

"That's not the issue. I can find another psychic. I can't vet another psychic. I can't run a background check and test them out for professionalism and see if they can do a good job bs-ing, sorry, **reading**. I can't do the due diligence to vouch for them this late. So I'm here, asking for a favor. A big favor, I know. So name your price."

"You, want me to recommend a party psychic for you?" Who did he know who he hadn't completely cut out of his life who wouldn't ask annoying questions and who would be willing to be bothered with something so mundane? Because surely this man could not possibly be thinking **he **was the appropriate person to fill this role.

But the answering chuckle pretty much confirmed that fear.

"No, I want you to be the party psychic."

_Oh hell._

*****Alec*****

He had been expecting a knee jerk 'no' from Magnus. The fact that he hadn't responded yet either meant it wasn't hopeless or that it was so hopeless the man was in shock. He should have known better. He'd have to risk it with some hack who worked in the back of a strip mall.

"Tonight?"

By whatever guardian angel was looking out for him if Magnus actually said yes he'd, donate to charity or something. Do a good deed. Be kinder to someone he'd figure out at a later date.

"Yeah. It starts at 8 pm and it'd be great if you could get there by 7:30. To get set up. I can take some stuff ahead of time to help prep as well."

"It's a bit last minute even for day of."

"Yeah. Well. I don't have your phone number and you didn't answer your work line and I was kinda juggling a few things. Couldn't just pop over. Until now. Because I'm desperate."

The pause was painful, he had to focus on not fidgeting, not tapping his foot, not mussing his hair. He also tried not to stare a hole into Magnus as he stood a few feet away, considering.

"All of your remaining sessions. Plus what you were going to pay the original psychic and an additional 20%."

"What?"

"I want that as my price. You said to name it."

Alec knew he shouldn't push his luck. He should just be thankful and take the offer and run. But…

_I haven't had enough of him yet._

"Half my remaining sessions." He bought ten. This was the fourth. That'd leave him a couple.

"Half your total session," Magnus countered his counter.

_One. One session._

But Alec knew he was lucky to even get that. He had admitted he was out of choices. With his hand so thoroughly shown, and with Magnus' still unexplained unwillingness to give in to what was obviously connecting between them, he would take it. Almost.

"Ten percent." The extra cost would come from his paycheck and this was business. Plus, he was a bit competitive, especially when he really shouldn't be.

"Deal."

"Deal," he said and reached out to shake on it.

With the weight lifted off his shoulders he sprang back up, all that energy he had generated now available to be put to constructive use. A glance at his watch told him he still had a bit of time before he needed to head back over to the location. Most everything had been taken care of, all he had left was organizing the vendors and staff. And, well, Magnus was now that.

"Let's go find you something to wear."

*****Magnus*****

Oh, he knew he'd regret this, just not so immediately.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?" He rather liked the pale blue cashmere sweater he was wearing today.

"Well, you don't look like a psychic, do you? Your bedroom is this room right?"

Magnus was led into **his **own bedroom and watched as Alec opened **his **wardrobe and flipped through **his **clothing. At least the clothing he kept there for convenience. His full wardrobe was in a small little pocket void he could summon at will but he wasn't going to tell the human that, for obvious reasons.

"How many sweaters do you own?" Alec asked as he pulled out a yellow shirt and discarded it on Magnus' bed.

"What are you looking for? Perhaps I can be of assistance to you navigating **my **stuff." This was feeling rather intimate.

"Something, magical. Confident. Loud."

Magnus got the idea. Enough to know Alec wouldn't find it in his closet. He sighed and turned to his chest of drawers and subtly pulled some of his clothing from a few iterations of himself ago from the void to the bottom drawer.

"I'm sure I have something lying about. Oh look," he barely hid his lack of surprise as he opened it. "Will this work?"

He pulled out a purple, long sleeve shirt, the thin material patterned with deeper purple swirls and a slight shine.

Alec took the top from him, noticed the cut of the neck, and looked between him and the shirt with almost insulting skepticism.

"Yes. This will do. Do you have accessories for it?"

"Of course," Magnus said, resigned to wearing an old life as a costume.

"Fantastic. Now for hair and makeup. Can you manage? If not I can bring some things and help you once you arrive."

Magnus couldn't really protest too much. It's not like he had shared much personal information with the man. Sharing that he had once lived in flash and glitter would mean explaining why he no longer did and that was a Pandora's Box of trouble he wasn't opening with a random mortal who just wanted in his bed.

"I can manage."

Alec looked him over and then his room, noticing the lack of the tools needed for managing.

"Trust me. I have useful friends." That seemed to convince him. No need to mention his useful friends weren't useful for this, or around at the moment.

"Good. Alright. This is going to work. Do you need help bringing anything to the site?"

Magnus shook his head and confirmed, "No I can manage. I'll just need a table or whatever you're envisioning to work at."

"Okay. Great. Here's the address and my number. "Magnus took the piece of paper. "Call me when you get there. I'll come out and help you get set up. And Magnus, thank you. Having it be you makes me far less nervous."

And then Magnus was hugged by strong, muscular arms in a tight, fast embrace before Alec rushed out of his loft leaving him behind to wonder, yet again, if the world had decided his life had been too easy recently and was taking measures to rectify the situation.

No time to dwell on how he had never felt like **he** fit into someone else's embrace before or how it was just a slight bit extremely different than someone else fitting into his. He had a party to get ready for.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey y'all! I see a few people have followed and favorited this and it makes me enormously happy that I get to share this little story that has been playing in my head since the end of that episode with y'all. Hopefully it scratches the itch to want to know about the story between other universe Malec for just a bit. While writing this so far I've had other Malec ideas pop into my mind that won't work here at all so I may be doing some other stories soon but this will remain my main until it's done. I think I've fairly settled on Monday night my time for publishing this, mostly because I'll slowly write throughout the week as the exact events for the plot point I have outlined become concrete and then finish on the weekend and do a read-through on Monday. Enough of me. What you really want will begin_

…_._

_now_

*****Magnus*****

Magnus stared at his reflection, pondering. On one hand, Alec hadn't mentioned specific pants he should wear when he approved the shirt so his very normal jeans were in no way technically wrong. On the other, he was feeling oddly petulant, unable to forget Alec's look of skepticism. And really, he did have a lot of sweaters, he didn't know when he had collected them all. He had at least ten white-ish ones. Sure, some were cream and some were eggshell and one was almost tan but it was enough to make his fingers itch. It would be so easy to show Alec.

But that was the problem. He really shouldn't be planning an outfit with the sole intent of impressing his **employer**. He had a **job** to prepare for. He really just needed to sell his role there. And jeans probably wouldn't do that.

_Right, yeah. I'm not dressing for Alec. I'm dressing for the job. I'll just do that well and then he'll see that I am not just sweaters._

Annnnd it was time to stop lying to himself. For tonight, just tonight, he was going to enjoy the attention of an attractive man. He wouldn't let it go past words but he'd learned a lot of words and how to wield them. He was going to Alec's work and turnabout felt very fair. He would do his job but he'd make Alec feel, just a bit, how Magnus felt every time the man tempted him while he tried to stay professional.

With a snap of his fingers his appearance shifted, the mirror now reflecting a look that had to be committed to. He wore the purple shirt without anything under it. The material hinting at translucence without delivering. It could open halfway down the chest and Magnus let it, showing the top of his stomach. He wore it half tucked into tight, black pants tailored for flexibility and shape. On his exposed chest he draped a few necklaces, an intricate ear cuff curled over one ear, seven rings glistened from his hands. With a final flourish he applied finishing touches, chuckling as he recalled the other universe's Clarissa commenting on his lack of showmanship. Dark eyeliner and shimmer matching the gold flecks in his glamoured eyes. Magenta streaks stuck out dramatically against his artfully gelled hair. Deep plum nail polish was applied without a single imperfection. Perfect pink lip gloss glazed his lips, forever shimmering and never rubbing off on drink glasses unless he wanted to leave a mark behind.

He had already packed miscellaneous tools and mystical looking paraphernalia in a over sized carpet bag. Now all he had to do was decide, call for a ride or take a portal. Mundane transportation was convenient for blending in but portals were just plain convenient and he was having a hard time abiding wasting time and money now that his magic was awake. Portal it was.

*****Alec*****

Decorations were done. Food was hot or cold or warm depending. Drinks were ready. The staff was prepped. The entertainment was arriving. The fog machine was tested and Magnus had arrived.

_Magnus is here. What the actual...That's. Hm. Chest. Muscles. Unfair? Unexpected definitely._

This wasn't what he needed. Well, it was because he had said to dress the part. Business Alec was thrilled that the man looked like he was set to sell the act. Personal Alec was thrilled as well, for obviously different reasons, but that was going to be a problem if he didn't manage that. He briskly walked over to Magnus. Because he needed to get things organized and not for any other reason.

"Hey Magnus, thanks again for saving my life here. If you have your stuff I can bring you over to your station," Business Alec said. Personal Alec multi-tasked. Magnus had to have a second closet where those pants were enshrined. Those definitely weren't among the khakis he had seen. And all that skin peaking out in the gap in the shirt and the makeup made him look not unlike any prospect he would have picked out at Pandemonium on a normal club night out. His fingers twitched, wanting to pull on the bright highlights in his hair and to trace along the outer shell of his ear to where a small dragon was wrapped.

"I'm all set," Magnus replied, smirking and indicating his bag.

_Oh. I see how it is._

That smirk gave Business Alec the upper hand and he, with no little effort, tuned out Personal Alec. If it was to be games, Alec could do games. He won games. Later.

"Here, let me help you with that," he said grabbing the bag from Magnus. "You'll just be over here," he continued, indicating a makeshift space in the next room. Gauzy material layered over heavy tapestry slouched from both walls in the corner. Fairy lights hung between the two layers and a copious amount of dripping candles sat on multiple pedestals of different heights around the area. A table resembling his own workstation at home sat on top of a deep maroon carpet. No other lighting was used in the space so the mood was quiet and mysterious without being too dark to see or allow for soon to be drunk guests to make their way around safely. The rest of the room outside of the work space had a few benches and chairs plus a faux brook-like water feature that provided a low accompaniment to the music playing softly.

"Thank you," Magnus said. "This looks lovely. You've done a very good job here, Alec."

Alec was not blushing. It was the heat from the candles.

"What, not going to reciprocate and say I look lovely? And here I put in all this effort to get dressed up for you," Magnus said with a wink as he took his bag back and started setting his items out.

"I um, you do look lovely, I mean nice, appropriate. Very magical and...such. I'm going to go do other...party...things. But, yeah, I'll be around and there's staff circulating now so if you need me before I check back in with you or you need food or a drink or have a question or a problem or whatever just, yeah. Okay."

Mortifying. Absolutely mortifying.

And like it wanted to add to his humiliation his hand had been jerkily gesturing around to the door only to stop with a final, single, wave at Magnus.

_Move, stupid legs._

He turned and tried to walk out of the room to go do literally anything else besides stand there and managed to only trip on nothing once.

*****Magnus*****

Mortals were a miscellaneous bag of treasures to be discovered. Some were rare gems and some were as common as the small quarter trinkets kept to bribe good behavior from children at the dentist. Each a treasure to someone for at least a brief period of time.

The party had officially started a few minutes ago and guests were arriving, flowing in and out of groups, finding their way through the rooms. He called on memories of a time he welcomed intrigue and mystery into his life. He casually slouched in the corner between the back of the chair and the arm and waited for someone to convince their friend to come try out the psychic.

The good thing about his role tonight was that he could actually use a little visible magic to sell things. As people slowly moved into his room he would drag his fingernails along the crystal ball he had sitting on a medium height pedestal he had stolen from the display and let blue trails of magic linger on top. The magic would slowly sink into the depths of the navy orb as his hand traced new paths to replace the old ones. Or he would use just a tiny gust of wind to draw a pair of eyes, make slow deliberate eye contact with that someone, flick up a card, study it with his head angled just enough so he could see both the card and the person, shrug, and put the card back in the stack. He'd then dismiss the person's attention by breaking full eye contact, letting his posture become easy as he shuffled the cards, and taking a sip from his glass.

He had been hesitant when Alec had brought it to him, he had insisted to the waiter he was good with water while working. Alec had showed up shortly after that with what looked like a martini. It was actually water in a martini glass with an olive to sell it.

"People may be hesitant to approach you if you look mysterious and sober when they are already losing control. I don't want people to avoid you and I also really don't want drunk soccer moms forcing shots on you. People are braver when they think you've been drinking too. You know how to do the psychic angle, this will help with the other. The staff knows so don't worry if they bring you one unless they signal to you."

"Why would the signal to me?"

"In case someone sends you a drink, to flirt. You know, it does happen even at these types of parties."

Magnus nodded but could tell Alec didn't buy it. A brief frown passed across the man's face before he was called away to handle some last minute something or other.

It was working, he heard whispers.

"No, I couldn't."

"Come on, it's a party! He's here for us."

"It's obviously what Penny wanted. We'd be rude not to."

"When you put it like that."

"And he's cute."

Magnus smiled slightly. He knew many people didn't take psychics seriously. This wasn't his first party or his first time seeing groups slowly convince themselves over a drink or two that they weren't taking it seriously, they were just having fun.

A middle-aged blonde slid into the seat across from him barely keeping her drink from sloshing out. Obviously not her first. Her friends stayed back but waved at her when she looked at them.

"Hi," she chirped extending her hand for a handshake. Magnus let a practiced smile roll over his mouth as he took her hand and turned it so he could lightly kiss the top. It made her nervously giggle. "I'm Sharon."

"Magnus," he replied letting her hand go making sure to keep his posture relaxed and open.

"So...what exactly do we do?"

"Hm, I think with your energy the cards are best." It wasn't a lie. For nervous newbies the cards were a good introduction. There were a set amount of outcomes with pictures and names. The ball could be vague and hands were a bit intimate as he had been recently reminded. He offered the deck to her.

After everyone saw the first guest leave his table, happy she had visited, he rarely was without a body in the seat across from him. It was a larger gathering than he was expecting, not that it mattered. He had been thoughtfully placed in a nice setting apart from the noise of the main festivities that allowed him to focus and create the right rapport across the table.

Alec had come to check on him after the first hour and had seen the potential problem of a queue forming as word spread. Lines don't work well for party flow. Luckily, the man was good at party problem solving and had devised a lovely solution. Now Magnus had a staff member positioned in the corner with an appointment book, his sole job to handle that problem and make sure people were reminded in time. He also controlled the small group that stood in the room, eavesdropping or just hoping for an opening so that the guest didn't feel crowded and any open slot was efficiently filled.

Magnus hadn't looked around the rest of the party but he had heard there was a hookah room, belly dancing, dance floor in the garden under a canopy of tea lights, and a holistic consultant. Even without moving from his room except for a couple short breaks to stretch and use the restroom the hours passed nicely.

The energy of the party was nostalgic and he let himself settle into the whispers of his memories, never dipping deeply but remembering that it did feel nice to be out and about, meeting new people and flirting with attractive people. A few guests had tried slipping him their numbers, all of which he refused as he was working. And not at all because he noticed every time Alec was in the room or moving past the door, notebook in hand, never intruding but smoothly efficient. He didn't know how the rest of the guests, well the gay ones at least, were ignoring him. They wanted to flirt with Magnus while an Adonis was being ignored.

An Adonis. Hm, that thought needed to be considered further, later.

*****Alec*****

He looked at Magnus from the doorway, chatting happily and gesticulating with wide sweeping motions without awareness as he told some story that made the younger staff member he was talking to laugh. He watched as Magnus left his hand on the man's arm for a few moments as he said something, making the man blush then laugh again. Alec was a big enough man to admit that he was definitely just a tiny bit jealous.

Magnus looked at him, maybe his gaze had turned a bit heavy and the man could feel it. Who knew what psychics could do. He still wasn't sold on the whole future and spirits part but he was coming around to there being something of the other with the man.

"Mr. Lightwood, done for the evening?" The guests were mostly gone and the staff had been breaking down the decorations. They had left this room till last because Magnus had been so damn popular. He had caught whispers all night, from men and women, about the gorgeous psychic with the calming hands and the sinful voice. The hosts had thanked him fervently, admitting they were hesitant because they had expected some old gypsy woman but that they had both had their time at the table and were immediately sold on his choice in psychic.

"Yep, you're good here, Magnus. You can pack up and head out," he said, turning on the lights with the switch that had been hidden behind fabric and moving further into the space. "We can help you with your stuff if you want. Even deliver it tomorrow if that's more convenient." Then to the staff member, "Take care of the candles first then the water."

_Go, now._

He had behaved all night, had left Business Alec fully in control, but he was attracted to Magnus and did not want to fight it at all. It was against his nature to. At times he could reel himself in, control his body language and his energy. That especially came in handy at parties he was not also a guest at because it didn't look good to be getting hit on while you were trying to run the event. Tonight it had also meant he could firmly cage his baser instinct and not, say, volunteer to be the one organizing the time slots for seeing Magnus but rather delegating that. He had done his best to ignore that he only had one more real reason to see the man before it really did become a stalking issue. With the night drawing to a close he had to plan his hail mary.

"I can manage, just need to get a ride," Magnus replied, gesturing vaguely to his phone, as the staff member got to work.

Alec watched as Magnus' hands, normally distracting and now dazzlingly so, packed up his few items. He moved the props that weren't his into a pile and placed a mostly full martini glass and two other drinks on the table.

"Looks like I was right about admirers." Alec patted himself on the back for not sounding bitter.

"Yes, it was, helpful. Your tip. I guess I haven't been out socially very often recently. I won't doubt your expertise again."

"I'm glad. Maybe, um, maybe we can rectify that? Would you like to go out for a drink sometime?" Alec offered with forced lightness as he made a busy face and looked through his notebook.

_If you turn me down I'll leave it be._

He knew Magnus had responded to his advances but also that he was holding himself back. He didn't mind effort but he wasn't going to keep bothering the man if he really didn't want the attention. Magnus didn't owe him anything and he wasn't one to enjoy an unwilling date even if he was very pushy in getting that date. The man could be a bit faster in his rejection though. Alec was almost out of pages to flip through.

"When?"


	5. Chapter 5

**Alec (8:15AM): **Good Morning, Beautiful!

**Alec (8:16AM): **Just confirming that I'll get you at 7 PM for our date tonight.

**Magnus (9:27AM): **Alec, I'm not a vendor. You don't have to do day of checks with me.

**Alec (9:28AM): **Reply Y to confirm or N to break my heart.

**Magnus (9:44AM): **&_&...Y

**Alec (9:45AM): **Thank you for humoring me.

**Magnus (10:09AM): **I have since the moment I met you. Why stop now?

**Alec: (10:12AM): **That's not true. You didn't give me the time of day when we first met. It was very lowering. You'll have to make sure I have an amazing time tonight or else my self esteem may never recover.

**Alec (3:28PM): **Do you have any allergies?

**Magnus (3:55PM): **Remind me why I agreed to this?

*****Alec*****

Alec wasn't sure what had pushed Magnus over whatever hurdles he had up between them but he wasn't going to complain. He'd latched onto the chance, taking it much more seriously than he normally did. With how much time he'd already spent with the man he didn't want to just do the whole hip bar and bed routine that worked for casual hookups. He wanted Magnus to enjoy himself and have a good time. He seemed to be trusting Alec in spite of his reservations and, even knowing what Alec was offering was nothing serious, Alec would treat that trust seriously.

He slightly regretted telling Magnus to cancel his last session but he had figured it would just be filled with awkward nervousness since they had decided on that night for their date. All the same, he was kicking himself for not asking better questions during the previous sessions. He had wasted all his time with overt flirting and banal first date questions and had somehow managed to completely avoid anything useful like favorite foods or casual hobbies. Lesson learned. He needed to expand his romantic tool belt if he was going to go after Magnus. And other guys like Magnus. If this was a new type for him, reserved substance.

The idea of others made him frown as he went about selecting his outfit from the few he had narrowed it down to. Normally when he saw a guy he found attractive his brain checked left hand ring finger and then worked out a plan to assess if they were an option and, if so, how to explore them as an option as efficiently as possible. That automatic process in his brain seemed to have stopped running since his first session with Magnus.

_I'll just focus on Magnus for now. Until I get restless. It's taking all of my attention to get this far anyway._

Focusing on the issue of the perfect outfit was stressing him out so he quickly took pictures of himself in all of them in his full length mirror and considered who to send them to. Izzy would be useless. She was so sappily in love anymore that she'd just wax poetic about how if Magnus really liked him he'd like him in anything.

He had already made the mistake earlier of asking her opinion on good date locations that weren't just for getting drunk, dancing closely, and then leaving for extracurricular activities. He had briefly considered that but he knew he had laid a pretty specific side of himself out in front of Magnus so far, at least before they had worked together. Once his work had been praised by Magnus he had felt the desire to have the man like him as a person at a deeper level build in his subconscious.

Izzy, and to a lesser extent the rest of the group, had been scarily supportive of their perceived turn towards seriousness in his dating life. No matter how much he insisted that he was just going about casual a different way they took his indecision on how to proceed as a positive sign. Izzy had given him a full list of all the fun places she and Simon had gone. Simon had shared him on a google sheet of different date ideas he had in different stages of development including a tab solely dedicated to things Izzy had casually mentioned in conversation for him to revisit. Jace had suggested a double date. Clary had asked what things Magnus liked to do. They had all been so supportive. Alec hadn't know any of them had thought twice about his love life. Apparently they had been almost at intervention level.

Jace was probably best. He had been successful at dating around a bit before he had met Clary.

**Alec (5:02PM): **Hey. Which of these for tonight?

Attachment1 Attachment2 Attachment3 Attachment4

**Jace (5:07PM): **What's the difference between 2 and 3?

**Alec (5:09PM): **2 is plum, 3 is violet

**Jace (5:12PM): **So they're both purple?

**Jace (5:15:PM):** Hey, Alec. It's Clary. Ignore Jace. I'll teach him about warm vs cold colors later. Go with option 1. It makes your undertones pop but gives the right level of casual care. Good luck! Win his heart!

**Alec (5:18PM): **Thanks, Clary. Have I mentioned how glad I am that you're dating Jace? You've been a very useful addition to my life.

**Alec (5:20PM): **Jace, I'm disappointed in your fashion skills. Listen to your artist girlfriend.

*****Magnus*****

Magnus was tapping down a few flyaway hairs in the mirror in his entryway before he headed downstairs to wait for his date. Alec had said it was a casual location so hopefully he was dressed fine. He wore dark jeans that fit much more tightly than he normally wore without being a second skin and a purple button up under a dark slim fit gray cardigan that he had buttoned. He had considered makeup but he had decided to start as he meant to go on. Last week had been fun but it wasn't who he was now. His hair was tame and soft. No risks here besides the whole date with a young Lothario part.

He was about to slide his wallet into his back pocket when he heard a knock on his door. When he opened it Alec was on the other side.

"Hi, you look nice," Alec said smiling and reaching out to tease at the hem of Magnus' cardigan. "Switching it up on me I see. I almost wore purple too but it looks much better on you."

The man in front of him looked like he had walked out of some magazine shoot. Yes, technically he was just as casually dressed as Magnus. It must be his confidence. Confidence is sexy after all.

He wore an olive colored cotton shirt that looked soft and made his skin look like cream against it. Over the basic top he wore a navy blazer paired with tailored jeans. The shirt was just tight enough to hug his frame without revealing every line of his body and it and the jeans were elevated by the blazer in a way only truly fashionable people can think of. His hair made Magnus think of a Ken doll with enough product in it that the style would survive a war.

"Are you good to go?"

"Yeah, I was actually just on my way down to wait for you. You could have just texted."

"Nope. Picking you up at your door. I'm doing this date right."

"And yet I don't see any flowers," Magnus teased as he moved through the door out into the hall, checking that both the door was locked and the magic he had started layering into his home closed behind him.

"Dammit! I knew I should have gotten flowers but Simon got me second guessing myself because flowers have meanings and maybe you would know them because of your job or something…"

"You think psychics and florists are the same thing?"

"No but like, you have a mortar and pestle and I saw some dry herbs I think and so maybe you also do stuff with flowers and maybe one that the internet says means one thing means something else in your line of business and…"

"Alec," Magnus said, laying a hand on the man's arm. "It's fine. I was joking. Really. Where is my composed client, hm?" Not that Magnus was complaining. A unbalanced Alec warmed his heart a little. It was good to know he wasn't the only one nervous.

"Oh, okay. Good. Cool. Shall we?" Alec recovered and offered Magnus his arm.

Magnus took it tentatively. So far so good.

"It's a little walk but by the time it would take for me to get a ride for us we would be there. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. I enjoy a nice stroll through Brooklyn. I love my neighborhood. Do I get to know where we're headed? If it's close I may know it."

"Nope. Can't ruin the element of surprise."

"Have I mentioned I don't really like surprises?"

"Oh come on. It'll be fun. Don't you trust me?"

"Actually, yes I do. I don't know why. But I do." And he meant it. A calm settled the butterflies that had nested in his stomach.

That was an odd revelation. Magnus was not, by nature, a trusting man and as an immortal he had even less reason to trust quickly. But even from the second meeting, if you could count the first since he had been a bit preoccupied with otherworldly matters, he had never been concerned about Alec. He could read him so clearly and even though their motives didn't align he hadn't for one second not trusted what the man told him or how he presented himself.

He looked over at the man he had just had this revelation about. Alec was **blushing**. It was adorable and also obvious that he was trying to keep a straight face. But his posture was more stiff for a moment.

"It's a compliment, Alec. Don't overthink it."

"I'm sorry. I just, guess I didn't realize how in a dating rut I've been. I seem to be incapable of just talking with a guy I like."

"It's fine. Just be yourself and I'll be myself and tonight will be what it is but it will be honest."

"I want it to be amazing."

This was not how Magnus thought tonight was going to go. He'd expected to be minorly uncomfortable trying to figure out what he wanted. He hadn't expected to be offering support. It was endearing to see him sincerely wanting the date to go well. Honestly, if Magnus had known this was what he would get from saying yes he would have done so earlier. It was nice to have someone care so much about you enjoying yourself.

Or, he would have shut it down immediately. Just as likely. Because he was attracted to the very forward, confident side but this side was like a few layers down and he already liked it immensely. Could see how he could effortlessly more than like him.

"Here it is," Alec announced, steering them both into a bar Magnus knew about but had never had anyone to go with.

*****Alec*****

Alec had only been to Candyland once with his little group. It used to be a normal bar but board games had been added as the main attraction in the past few years carving out a niche that attracted a young crowd filled with repeat customers. On a Thursday night it was safe to assume that it would not be too busy and that assumption had panned out.

"Oh, I see a table in that back corner that looks good. This way," he says grabbing Magnus' hand and leading him through the moderate gathering towards the front around the bar back to an area that was mostly tables of different sizes. "I think we should order first and then play while we wait, does that work?"

Magnus nodded at him which wasn't very helpful in gauging if he was pleased with the surprise or if he had really messed up this whole thing. They both busied themselves picking food and ordering drinks. Magnus ordered some cocktail named the Cotton Candyland and a salad with chicken called the Iceberg Breakers. Alec got the Game of the Day Sandwich and top shelf scotch which he knew was very strong because Magnus wasn't talking much, wasn't meeting his eyes, and this may have been a very big mistake.

"So, what game do you want to start with?" he asked not liking how hesitant and uncertain he was feeling. He had worried a bit earlier but now Magnus wasn't engaging at all. Maybe he hated games? There's like, over 500 here but maybe it just wasn't something he found fun? Or maybe he had some game based trauma from childhood? Maybe he always saw the way to win with his abilities and he tried to still enjoy them but his friends and family slowly grew to hate playing with him because they could never win or when they would win they would always believe it was because he let them and a sort of subconscious envy and inferiority festered in their souls and drove them to hate first playing games with him and then eventually to just associate him in general with those negative feelings until he had nobody left which is why he seemed to have avoided socializing and he didn't talk about his friends. Alec wouldn't let that be him but what if a game based hangup caused Magnus to never give Alec a chance to prove he could lose gracefully and **why was Magnus laughing**?!

Alec gaped at him trying to figure out what was going on. Had he been right and the stress of being around board games had broken the man's mind. Did he just make his date go crazy in the non-good way? This is why Alec didn't do real dates. He obviously was the worst at them. This is why he should stay single.

"I'm sorry," Magnus said trying to catch his breath and control the silent laughter that was shaking him from diaphragm through shoulders all the way to his eyes that shimmered with mirthful tears and those gold flecks. "I don't mean to laugh at you but you're so transparent. You have to tell me what was going on in that head of yours."

"What?"

"Well, obviously you were overthinking something, you were spiraling."

"I, well, you don't, um, hate board games or something do you?" That caused Magnus to break into another fit of laughter and Alec's brain jumped between confusion and concern that there was something really wrong and attraction because, man, Magnus laughing hit him like the first sunny day of spring after a slushy, gray winter.

"No, not at all. I'm just so relieved. I know you said casual but I was ready for blaring music and dark rooms or some crazy high end place with food that I'd have to pretend to like and that wouldn't fill me up. This is so comfortable. And then you got something in your head and I realized you went out of your comfort zone for me and it's quite cute."

"Oh," was all Alec could muster.

"I'm sorry to have knowingly allowed you to worry," Magnus said and reached out to squeeze Alec's hand across the table. Luckily the waiter brought their drinks over giving Alec something other than the blush he couldn't quite fight off to focus on. He was blushing a lot tonight and was realizing that just because he lived a forward, open life didn't mean he couldn't still be embarrassed.

Taking a sip from his glass he regained his composure. "It's okay. I've intentionally tried unbalancing you enough."

"I was beginning to worry you were an unflappable paragon of the dating world."

"Not with you."

"Good. Better for everyone involved."

"True. Would be hard to deal with me if I was some inhuman being walking around among the mortals."

*****Magnus*****

Magnus choked on his drink.

"Too sweet?"

"Nope, just went down the right pipe." This is what comes of laughing at someone. The young man didn't realize how randomly specific he had managed to be. "Battleship?" he supplied, pointing to a game on the shelf next to them.

"Sure," Alec said, grabbing the game from the shelf and starting to divide up the items inside. "But be warned, I have honed my poker face and skills against some of the toughest competition there is."

"Your sister?"

"I may be competitive but she's ruthless. E4?"

"Miss. G2?"

"Miss. I've told you about my family. What about yours? Any local? D9?"

"Hit. That's a bit heavy for me. H2?"

"Hit. Sorry. I didn't mean to poke a sore subject. D8?"

"Miss. Don't apologize. H3? I've gotten past it but I'm not at 'spilling my backstory' level of comfortable yet."

"Hit. I understand. What about your friends? I feel like I don't know about anyone in your life. C8?"

"Miss. H4? Well, I have an old friend who lives in London. Two more that are in the city, although we've grown apart."

"Hit and sunk. Did you do any of your...?" the man across from him waved his hand around vaguely gesturing at Magnus' head.

"If you mean did I see the future or use some sight to look at your ships, no. If you mean do I, through my profession, have ample practice reading people's body language and because of your insistence on pursuing me in such an odd way also have plenty of practice reading you in particular then, I plead the fifth."

"Are you saying I have a tell?"

"Of course he has a tell," a female said from where she had approached to stand behind Alec, who tensed. An irritated look rolled over his face followed by a real but annoyed smile.

"Izzy," Alec said turning to address the woman. Tightly through the smile he continued, "What a surprise to see you here, tonight, in this bar, where I specifically said I was taking Magnus. Did it slip your mind?"

"Not at all, this was Simon and my place first, we introduced you to it. We just happened to want to play Monopoly." The woman was petite with long hair that matched her brother's but dark eyes instead of his light.

"And you don't have it at home?"

"We only have Pokemon, Lord of the Rings, and Star Wars Monopoly and I just really wanted to play Doctor Who Monopoly which they have here."

"We have Doctor Who Monopoly at home," a light brown haired man wearing glasses and a t-shirt that said 'I Rolled for a Girlfriend and Critted' said, coming to stand next to who Magnus could only assume to be Alec's sister. Which made the man Simon, her boyfriend.

"Simon, I thought better of you," Alec said, confirming that suspicion. "How could you let her loose when it was obvious what she would get up to."

"Alexander Gideon Lightwood, I know you aren't insinuating that Simon has the responsibility to control me."

"Of course he isn't, Izzy. But we are interrupting his date and I told you he wouldn't appreciate it."

"He was floundering earlier, I wanted to make sure he didn't need any help."

"How long were you watching us?" Alec exclaimed. Really, Magnus was enjoying seeing yet another side of the man. He wasn't even trying to put forward a good foot he was so busy dealing with the interruption.

"Since you walked in. Honestly, I've never known you to be so imperceptive."

"Yep, well, things are going fine and I see our food coming so go away now and stop stalking my date."

"It's not stalking, it's shadowing, it's different."

"Izzy, things seem fine. Let's go home. We can watch Firefly and I'll proofread your fanfiction and won't even comment on how it negates Serenity," Simon offered, tugging on her arm.

"Fine, Alec, I'll call you in the morning, kay?"

"Yep. By, Izzy. Simon."

"By Alec, Alec's date," said Simon as he ushered Alec's sister away to close their tab.

Alec turned back to Magnus and covered his face with his hands, dragging them up to card through his previously well styled hair.

"I'm sorry about that, Magnus. I don't know why she's like this. They're really well intentioned, I promise. I told her too much about the date, I did. My bad. I'm sorry."

Tonight's date had in no way been the wrong decision. Magnus hadn't had this much fun in decades. He had learned so much already and their food was just now arriving.

"It's fine…" he smirked before finishing with, "Alexander."


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey, y'all. I'm always so nervous to publish the next chapter because I'm afraid I'll disappoint you but everyone has been so nice and supportive so far. I'm extra self-conscious of this one because I'm pretty sure I'm rubbish at writing certain types of scenes now that I've tried so all I can ask is if this isn't the best chapter you come back next week and give me another chance to improve. Okay, enough second guessing...publishing in three, two, one..._

*****Alec*****

Okay, so Magnus was smart. Alec wasn't stupid but he couldn't see any tells coming from the other man. Add to that the fact that he was comfortably tipsy and very physically distracted by the pretty man sitting across from him, smirking slightly before sliding his rook forward and switching it on the square with Alec's bishop, curling his elegant fingers around the white piece to remove it to the side of the board, and Alec didn't stand a chance. That smirk hit Alec low making him glad for the cover of the table.

He was not stupid. Izzy may be more intelligent but his mother had put heavy emphasis on their education growing up and what he didn't have in innate, natural understanding he had made up for with hard work and focus. Maybe he was rusty. Normally, game night with his friends and family really meant drinking and watching sappy couples help each other. Anymore they had been playing cooperative games because competitive games got less fun when it turned into couple vs couple vs Alec. Simon was always torn between Izzy and Clary and all four of them normally came to a truce to mutually turn on him. So yeah, he rarely got to flex his competitive spirit anymore.

And it's not like he normally played games with his sexual partners, well, not board games. Why play with little tokens when you could play with something far more enjoyable? Yeah, Magnus was a very rare case not just because he was putting in the effort to woo the man but also because Alec could feel the desire to win coming off of his date in waves and it was causing all sorts of reactions in his own body. He wanted to win. He was a competitive spirit but really he wanted to beat Magnus. Because he hadn't. So far, Magnus had won everything and given nothing up.

Battleship. Go Fish. And now probably chess.

"Are you a member of the board game version of MENSA?" Alec wasn't really frustrated by losing but Magnus was being about as forthcoming with personal information as he had been when Alec was still paying for his time and attention. He didn't need the man to spill his life story but Alec was doing his best to draw out any hints about the man's life, the people who mattered to him, fond memories, anything that could help create that warm and fuzzy sense of familiarity and comfort. But Magnus was giving him nothing, turning it back to him every single time.

"Ha, no. You could say I've had a lot of spare time on my hands."

Play chess with your spirit buddies, do you?"

"Careful, it almost sounds like you don't take my job seriously."

"Come on, Magnus. We both know, with how many sessions I came for, that I'm your most ardent supporter."

"Clearly."

"Hm," Alec replied noncommittally as he tried to puzzle out his next move while not dwelling on Magnus' hands. "Check."

"My, my, my, Alexander. Were you trying to distract me with your flattery and questions?"

"Not at all. My flattery was entirely honest appreciation. If it helps me win then isn't that your fault for being so vain?"

"Are you...negging your date?" Magnus maneuvered out of the risky positioning he had found himself in easily. Alec knew he likely wouldn't win the game but he had wanted to at least threaten a bit.

"All the cool kids are doing it."

"I don't date children, Alexander. Check," Magnus said, eyebrow raised in a slight challenge.

Man, Alec didn't like being scolded but Magnus' eyes at that moment were looking at him with no hidden meanings, no guesses needed to decipher what he was really saying. Magnus was asking to be taken seriously and treating Alec seriously in return. He wasn't some random guy from a bar whose last name didn't matter to Magnus. He was assessing him as a person and expected Alec to do the same. And if Alec wanted to pursue the physical connection further he couldn't treat the whole thing as lightly as he wanted to.

His skin itched as he broke eye contact with the other man. He could just call this off. He didn't need to sleep with everyone he was attracted to. He had failed before and would fail in the future. He could end the date, walk Magnus home, and head over to a club to find someone to help with the sexual frustration he had built up over the night.

This wasn't Alec, it wasn't his comfort zone. He took a long sip from his drink and looked back to meet those eyes that looked so much older than the man across from him. They were the eyes of a man who knew himself completely and thought they knew Alec and expected Alec to flinch away.

"Sorry, not date. I know you're not looking to date," Magnus continued. "But you know I feel what you feel, between us. I just need some sort of connection anymore, even if it's just a bit of trust. Trust and respect or else neither of us will enjoy this."

"I know," Alec replied after a long pause, feeling the frustration from losing on multiple fronts bubble. "But you're not making it easy to get to know you, you know. You won't talk about family or friends or your hobbies or when you got your cats or your talents and definitely not anything about your past. And I get that you wouldn't be open with a client when I was prying but even tonight you don't reciprocate any information and you met my sister even if that wasn't planned and I don't even know if you have a single living relative or if you just magically appeared as a fully formed adult one day in your loft. So forgive me if I don't know how to talk to you and regress to what I'm used to." And in an abrupt movement he exposed his king fully. "I'll go close the tab."

*****Magnus*****

The walk back to his loft felt long, exacerbated by the silence and slight distance between them the whole way.

He hadn't been fair to Alec. He hadn't wanted to be fair. The entire evening he had been very aware of the younger man. He had enjoyed seeing his insecure side, his competitive side, his interactions with his sister whom he clearly loved. Magnus had started out telling himself a nice, casual night with an attractive man who he had obvious chemistry with was just what he needed. Magnus had lied to himself. He already had a significant crush developing. He hadn't lied when he said he needed a connection but historically when he did connect he tended to cross a line and then he ended up heartbroken when he wasn't what the other person needed.

He was an idiot. It was clear what Alec wanted and here Magnus was already too attracted to the man. He knew so much about him already and he had intentionally not given anything back. Alec had been right, he hadn't offered anything because most of his life story ended up leading to the whole, immortal warlock who will still be eternally young while you die and eventually fade from memory, thing. He used to be better at it, had thought he could get back to not investing in anyone, and then he had caught himself wondering what Alec would like for breakfast which meant he had expected him to stay the night. Probably had been subconsciously expecting cuddling and spooning.

And now he was looking at a frustrated night tossing and turning and thinking back on all his failed relationships. Walking through the city at night gave a person time to think but Magnus would have loved just a little bit longer to figure out the fight or flight instincts bouncing around in his brain. But they were at his building and Alec had just mumbled a goodnight and was walking away from him.

"Alexander, wait." The man stopped and did a quarter turn, feet still pointed away, ready to take him out of Magnus' life. He sighed and continued, "I'm an only child."

The corner of Alec's mouth tugged up and he walked back to stand in front of the building's entrance with Magnus with arms crossed but not tense.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. And I got Church from some friends in London."

"Chairman Meow?" Alec slowly let his arms drop, one hand dipping into his pocket allowing his shoulders to open.

"He just found my place. And I couldn't say no to that face."

"Thank you, Magnus." Alec's other hand reached out to lightly squeeze Magnus' arm, lingering as Alec moved a bit closer. Magnus' breath caught at the soft smile on those even softer lips.

"I'm sorry, Alexander. I'm the one who asked for you to step outside your comfort zone and then refused to step out of mine. So. What do you say. Want to come up for a nightcap?"

"I'd like that."

*****Alec*****

Two and a half bottles of wine in to Date 1 Version 2 was going great. He was sitting on a black, leather couch, Church in his lap, Chairman in Magnus', and they were flipping through a photo album as Magnus told him all about his best friends. His blazer was abandoned on a chair and Magnus had unbuttoned his sweater, a physical sign of the progression they had made in this second effort.

There was Catarina who was a nurse in the city. Ragnor, an author who currently lived in the countryside somewhere in England. And Raphael who Magnus talked about as more of a son than a peer. Other people made cameos in the album but those there were heavy constants.

"So you guys like doing costume parties?"

"What?"

"A lot of these pictures are in costume. Like, look, this one looks like it's from a roaring 20s party. And this one seems like you've stepped out of Pride and Prejudice. This is a western theme. Civil war, not the movie, obviously. You've even used filters to make some of these black and white or aged looking. It seems like a lot of fun."

"Uhuh."

"You should invite me to the next one. I'm always game for a good party."

Yes, this was going much better. He was in that perfect drunk state where you're warm and relaxed and your skin has never felt more comfortable to be in. Magnus was moving closer to him on the couch every time he refilled one of their glasses.

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

"Oooh, and who is this?" Alec asked, pointing to a woman standing near to Magnus in a few pictures. He could tell enough from the way photo-Magnus looked at her, let his touch linger on her hip, that she had been something to Magnus.

"That's, um, Camille. An ex. I think we've had enough of this, don't you agree?" he said closing the album quickly and pushing it to the far edge of his coffee table.

"Didn't end well?"

"You can say that."

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," he said, putting his glass of wine down on a coaster and leaning back into the cushions of the couch and slightly forward towards Magnus. He let his hand rest on Magnus' thigh, gently rubbing his thumb back and forth in what he hoped was a comforting and supportive manner.

"She was a vampire," Magnus replied, mirroring Alec's position on the couch.

Alec wanted to make a joke about how pale she had looked but even in his drunken state he knew it wasn't the right tone.

"She wanted what I could give her but could never give me what I needed back, although she let me believe she could, would. I haven't seen her in a very long time. You know how we talked about love lines?"

Alec nodded and moved even closer so their knees touches when Magnus took his hand off of his thigh and held it palm up, tracing the lines on his hand.

"You asked me about the deep branch on my line. That's her. She could have been my forever but instead she broke me so badly that I don't expect to ever get to that place with another person again. But enough of that. Not the hottest thing to talk about."

"Oh, Magnus," Alec's hand moved on its own to cup his cheek and turn him to face him straight on. Those deep eyes met his and Alec gave him just a moment to move back and then he leaned in.

*****Magnus*****

One moment Magnus was desperately trying to keep his more drunk than he had planned on being self from oversharing about his tragic dating past and the next soft lips touched his, barely moving. Alec was hesitating again, as he had right before leaning in, making sure Magus was comfortable. Magnus shifted forward and deepened the kiss.

He vaguely felt the cats abandon their laps as Magnus moved his left leg over to settle over Alec's lap. They pulled back and hazel eyes with pupils blown wide met his before Alec brought them back together with increased hunger. He lightly nipped at Magnus' lower lip to gain entrance which Magnus gave freely and their tongues tangled as Alec grabbed at his shirt to pull him in even more and Magnus let his hand dive into the hair at the nape of Alec's neck.

"You smell amazing," Alec mumbled as he moved along his jawline to nuzzle his neck under his ear.

"Thanks, it's, ummm..." Alec was lightly blowing on that spot now and Magnus was struggling to remember anything.

"You can tell me later," Alec said as he worked his way down his neck, brushing the sweater off before moving to Magnus' shirt. When he hit buttons with his lips he started to undo them, giving ample attention to the newly exposed skin as he worked on the next one until the shirt was fully open and Alec could trail his hands down, his thumbs exerting pressure to trace the lines of Magnus' body.

Alec let his hands settle above the top of his pants, teasing at the edge and slowly moving Magnus back a bit. Magnus blushed under the studious gaze focused on his body.

"Beautiful," Alec whispered and smiled at him before pulling him back for another deep kiss.

That was all Magnus needed to hear to compel him into action. He let his shirt slip off of his shoulder onto the floor and then started to tug at the hem of Alec's. He had an idea of what he was expecting based on the ample touching he had indulged in so far but each inch he drew up helped further cement his image of the man as a Greek god chiseled from flawless stone.

He was briefly surprised to find a thin patch of hair across the man's chest as he got the shirt up and over his head but he wasn't allowed to think for too long on it before Alec was kissing him again.

It had been so long, too long. The intimate contact, even if it was still very basic, had him desperate for more. Those gorgeous lips were worshiping his. That voice came out in a low groan as Magnus moved his hips, grinding into Alec's lap. He could feel the man straining against his pants. Magnus wanted this, now.

Then Magnus felt his control slip and he went cold and still. Ice ran through his veins and he quickly extracted himself from the embrace and stood up, keeping his eyes closed the whole time.

"What is it? Did I, did I do something wrong?"

"No. No such thing. I just, I'll be right back."

Magnus quickly ran away, closing the door to his bathroom behind him and locking it before fully opening his eyes. Yellow cat eyes looked back at him.

*****Alec*****

Magus hadn't even looked at him as he awkwardly scurried off, away from Alec. He had obviously done something wrong. Maybe he had pushed too fast or maybe Magnus felt like he was too drunk to have the control he wanted to feel secure. Regardless, the night was over.

He closed his eyes again and tried to calm the physical signs of arousal his body was displaying so he could rally to get home.

_Think of boring things. Antiques. Vases that are chipped and faded but that old, wrinkled couples with too much money always spend too much money on. That one depressing landscape painting of a rainy day over a river that everyone calls inspired. Deep eyes that stare without wavering. Eyes that know who I am and don't expect things from me. No._

Alec opened his eyes and shook his head. He was probably as calm as he would get so he stood up and looked around for his shirt. He found it behind the couch and threw it on and then shrugged into his blazer and tracked down his shoes near the door.

In the mirror near the door he tried to tame his hair that was fluffed and laying in every direction at once, the hair gel broken up by fingers. His lips were redder than their normal pale rose and he could see at least one mark on his collarbone that would darken and need to be covered up for the next few days.

He heard a door open and returned to the main room.

"Alexander, I'm sorry about that. I just needed a moment to collect myself."

Magnus did look calmer but he wasn't meeting his eyes.

"Magnus, it's okay, you don't have to apologize to me for doing what you need. I'm just sorry if I inadvertently did something that made you uncomfortable."

"I, I didn't, you didn't," Magnus floundered and then sighed. "You don't need to leave, we can still try to," he trailed off with a shrug and a half-hearted gesture between the two of them.

Alec's heart panged just a bit at the helpless gesture.

"I'm more drunk than I expected to be. I am assuming you are too. You're obviously conflicted about this and I'm not callous enough to push here."

"No, that's not…"

"It's fine," Alec interrupted and approached the man making sure not to touch him. "Take a nice, long shower. Get some sleep. Text me tomorrow. Okay?"

"Okay," Magnus replied, relaxing and meeting his eyes finally.

Alec knew then he was making the right call. He let himself lean in to place a chaste kiss on the man's forehead before pulling back and heading to the door.

"Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Alexander."

The door clicked closed behind him.


End file.
